Evidence-based nutrition, in plain English — every entry sourced from clinical research.

Top 15 Vitamin C Foods

Vitamin C is a water-soluble antioxidant your body cannot store for long, so a regular intake matters. The foods below are ordered by vitamin C per 100g, and several easily cover the reference value in a normal serving.

Mango — the top-ranked source

Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g · values per 100 g
Calories 78.5
Total Fat 0.68 g
Saturated Fat 0.092 g
Sodium 0 mg
Potassium 204 mg
Total Carbohydrate 17.4 g
Dietary Fiber 1.29 g
Total Sugars 13.7 g
Protein 0.69 g
Vitamin C, vitamin A (beta-carotene), folate, vitamin B6
Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC 2710834); sugars/sat-fat: FDC 169910

If you want a practical starting point for eating more Vitamin C, ranked lists are useful because the best options are often not the most obvious ones. The foods below are ordered by Vitamin C amount per 100g mg drawn from the foods in our database.

Remember: ranking by one nutrient is only one way to choose foods. Pairing matters too. Use the Vitamin C compound page to understand absorption, forms and interactions.

Top 15 Vitamin C foods

  1. Mango — 168.1 mg per 100g (187% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin A (beta-carotene), folate
  2. Chilli Pepper — 143.7 mg per 100g (160% DV). Vitamin C (exceptionally high), capsaicin, vitamin A
  3. Brussels Sprouts — 142.9 mg per 100g (159% DV). Vitamin K, vitamin C, folate
  4. Red Bell Pepper — 141.7 mg per 100g (157% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6
  5. Kale — 93.4 mg per 100g (104% DV). Vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C
  6. Broccoli — 89.2 mg per 100g (99% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate
  7. Kiwifruit — 74.7 mg per 100g (83% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin K, actinidin enzyme
  8. Cauliflower — 67.1 mg per 100g (75% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate
  9. Strawberries — 59.6 mg per 100g (66% DV). Vitamin C, manganese, folate
  10. Pineapple — 58.6 mg per 100g (65% DV). Vitamin C, manganese, bromelain
  11. Orange — 53.2 mg per 100g (59% DV). Vitamin C, folate, thiamine
  12. Cabbage — 40.3 mg per 100g (45% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin K, folate
  13. Green Peas — 40.0 mg per 100g (44% DV). Vitamin K, folate, vitamin C
  14. Grapefruit — 37.0 mg per 100g (41% DV). Vitamin C, vitamin A, lycopene
  15. Spinach — 28.1 mg per 100g (31% DV). Vitamin K, folate, iron

How to actually eat more Vitamin C

A handful of additions usually move the needle more than a full diet reset. Vitamin C is best consumed from whole foods rather than supplements whenever possible. Try adding one new source each week, track how you feel, and build from there rather than forcing every meal to hit a target.

For broader context, see our Immune Support hub and the Vitamin C compound page.

Common questions

How much Vitamin C do I need a day? Needs differ by age, sex, life stage and health status. The figures here are not prescriptions; use them to compare foods, then apply your own context.

Are supplements better than food sources? Not automatically. Food provides co-factors such as fibre, fat and other micronutrients that help the body use Vitamin C effectively. Supplements are useful for filling confirmed gaps.

A note on health content. This article is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical or dietetic advice. Where we cite research, links to the original papers are provided so you can read the evidence yourself.

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